The crisper drawers in your refrigerator are one of the easiest and most effective ways to extend the life of your fruits and veggies — and reduce food waste!
Here’s a quick overview of how to get the most out of your crisper drawers:
High Humidity vs. Low Humidity: If the crisper drawers in your refrigerator allow you to select the levels of humidity (i.e. by adjusting the humidity sliders), set one drawer at high humidity (by closing the airflow vent) and set another at low humidity (by opening the airflow vent).
High Humidity: In the drawer with the closed vent (high humidity), store leafy vegetables and produce that wilts, such as lettuce, asparagus, spinach, kale, and Swiss chard. High humidity also works well to keep produce like berries and grapes fresh.
Low Humidity: In the drawer with the open vent (low humidity), store thicker-skinned fruits and vegetables that rot easily, such as peppers, cucumbers, apples, pears, melons, onions, and tomatoes.
Keep apples and bananas apart: Both fruits produce a great deal of ethylene gas, which causes produce to ripen at a faster rate. It’s wise to store these fruits separately.
